Automatic milling machine for the finishing of soles for shoes



Aug. 1, 1967 AUTOMATIC MILLING A. BRUGGI 3,333,287

MACHINE FOR THE FINISHING OF SOLES FOR SHOES Filed April 13, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. A-awem 8 31/66) Aug. 1, 1967 AUTOM A. BRUGGI 3,333,287

ATIC MILLING MACHINE FOR THE FINISHING OF SOLES FOR Filed April 13, 1964 SHOES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4485/9/21 E/QUGQ/ A. BRUGGI AUTOMATIC MILLING MACHINE FOR THE FINISHING OF SOLES FOR SHOES 5 Sheets-Sheet- 5 Filed April 13, 1964 INVENTOR. 191/ 54% BA' VM/ United States Patent ()fiice 3,333,287 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 3,333,287 AUTOMATIC MILLING MACHINE FOR THE FINISHING OF SOLES FOR SHOES Alberto Bruggi, Dr. Cicogna Franco & C., Via Visconti di Modrone 14a, Milan, Italy Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,171 12 Claims. (Cl. 1286.65)

The present invention relates to a method for the finishing of shoe sole profiles.

In addition, the above invention relates also to an automatic milling machine, apt to carry out said method.

As is known, today, the soles for shoes are properly obtained from leather, rubber or similar material sheets, preferably, by means of hollow punching or blanking.

However, the above operations have the disadvantage that they will give soles a profile which is always irregular and uneven.

Accordingly, it is necessary to execute a further operation for the finishing of the profile of soles for shoes, and the machine according to the present invention serves this purpose.

The machine includes a metal template, which has the purpose to properly guide a rotating milling cutter, in order to allow a perfect finishing of the profile of the shoe sole.

The machine permits the execution of the finishing of the shoe sole profiles, of every size and every material, completely automatic and under a continuous cycle; in addition, it can print, on the same soles, the number corresponding to their usual size.

The above and other characteristics of the hereto illustrated machine will be better understood by means of the appended drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a special device suitable to permit the automatic feeding of the soles to be finished into the body of the machine itself;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a detail of the hereto described machine, including the rotating column, to which is applied the template for the sole to be finished and the rotating arm supporting milling cutter;

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a detail showing the grippers allowing the sole to be centered during the milling stage, along with the shafts supporting the template and a counter-template; these two elements can be fitted with proper punches, suitable to impart to the sole a number permitting to identify the dimensioning of the latter;

FIG. 4 is a top view illustrating a detail of the grippers which are governing the centering of the soles to be finished;

FIG. 5 is a top view illustrating a detail of the arm supporting the milling cutter and the different levers, eccentries and gearings, suitable to move the support arm in order to make the above tool adhering to the profile of the sole to be finished;

FIG. 6 is atop view illustrating; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 5 with a template for a different type of sole.

The machine according to the present invention includes a device for automatic feeding the soles to be finished by milling, into the body of the machine.

Said device for automatic feeding of the soles is formed by the elements 13, 15, 50, 56 and 57.

The element 13 is constituted by a cylinder, in which a piston 56 is guided, to which a rod 57 is fastened suitable to transmit the reciprocating straight motion of the piston to a blade feeder 50.

Said element can enter into a lower end portion of a storage container 15, in which the soles to be finished 14 are stacked.

The reciprocating straight movement of the piston 56 is caused by alternatingly feeding pressure fluid into the ends of the cylindric container 13; the alternated introduction of said fluid, to the ends of the above cylinder 13 i controlled by a 2-way dispensing valve, of known type.

It is pointed out that the blade 50, by making a reciprocal straight movement, Will cause the introduction of each sole 14 between the upper template 31 and the template or model 12 of the sole to be obtained. I

Said elements 12 and 31, at the instant on which a sole is introduced between them are properly set apart in vertical direction, they are installed on rotating shafts, respectively 32 and 22; one, at least, of said shafts is movable in vertical direction.

In the machine as illustrated in FIG. 3, the lower rotating shaft 32 is axially movable, due to the action of a hydraulic device, to which the element 32 is coupled.

On the lower surface of the element 31 or on the upper surface of the template 12 a punch can be installed, to print on the sole to be finished a number to indicate the special dimensioning of the sole.

The machine, in addition is fitted with a device to assure a perfect centering of the semi-finished soles 14, when these latter soles are moved out from the storage container 15 and are introduced within the inter-space between the upper model 31 and the template 12.

The above described device, clearly illustrated, in side View in FIG. 3, and in plan of FIG. 4, consists of the articulated grippers 16, 17, 18, and 19, fitted with proper rollers 20.

The latter elements are mounted to rotate around vertical axes and assure a perfect centering for the soles to be finished.

The pairs of articulated grippers 16 and 19; 17 and 18 are mounted to rotate around the pins 61 and 36 and are governed by the arms 34 and 35.

These latter elements are connected, at one of their ends, to a movable pin 37, to which is fitted the arm 33 which, thus, will control the movements of the grippers 16, 17, 18 and 19.

The movement of the arm 33 is produced by means of a hydraulic device of the double effect, and of the usual type, which will cause the axial movement of the arm 33.

The machine, in addition is fitted with one arm 23 apt to rotate, as clearly illustrated FIG. 2, around a pin 43, in turn supported by one arm 44, which is rotating around to a pin 45.

The above mentioned arm 23 supports a motor 46, a milling cutter 24 and a roller 25 for guiding the milling cutter 24 along the template 12.

The motor 46 is coupled to belt 47 which will transmit the motor 46 to the mill 24.

The template is preferably made from metal and is shaped corresponding to the shape of the sole to be finished.

The template 12, in other words, has a peripheral surface to guide the roller 25; the said element 12, in such a way, will serve to properly apply the mill 24 against the sole to be finished.

The arm 23, supporting the mill 24, is controlled by a hydraulic device, formed by a cylinder 29 mounted at one of its ends to the frame of the machine 59.

Said cylinder 29 guides a piston 60 in longitudinal direction.

The alternating straight movement, performed by the piston 60 is caused by the pressure imparted to it by a hydraulic fluid introduced, alternatively, through the pipes 39 and 40, by the use of a usual type 2-way valve.

the mill 24 through the rotary movement of the The above mentioned piston 60 is, in turn, connected to an arm 42, connected, at its other end, to the movable arm 23, which, as it is known, can rotate around to the pivot pin 43.

The device, formed by the set of elements 29, 39, 40, 59, 60 and 42, will allow to properly move the movable arm 23, in order to move the mill 24 toward and away from the sole to be finished, respectively at the end at the starting of each finishing stage.

The arm 42, coupled to the piston 60, in addition has the function to assure abutment of the mill 24 and the roller 25, respectively to the sole to be finished and to the template 12.

The roller 25 in turn is mounted on an arm 26 and the length of the same can be properly modified, by properly adjusting a screw 30.

The hereto described machine, in addition, is fitted with an auxiliary motor 62, which rotates the shaft 22 to which the upper template is fixed.

Said rotation is imparted properly to the template 12 of the sole to be finished.

From the above description, it will be easily understood that the finishing of the sole 14, through a milling operation, is performed by rotating the elements 31 and 12 and the same rotative motion being imparted to the sole 14, and at the same time approaching the roller 25 to the template 12, in such a way that the mill 24 will be properly applied against the sole to be finished.

It is important to point out that the hereto described machine is fitted with means suitable to properly move the position of the mill 24 and, accordingly, the arm 23, in the course of the finishing of some type of soles.

The aforementioned means include a stationary pin 49, around which an arm 28 can swing, which is fitted with a cam follower 51, guided in a groove 27 formed in a cam 11, mounted, preferably above member 31, on the shaft of the latter.

The arm 28, in addition is coupled through an articulation 53, to an arm 52.

The latter, in turn, is coupled at the other end, through an articulation 54, to an arm 55 apt to rotate around the pin 45 and properly coupled to the arm 44-.

The latter is coupled, through the movable pin 43, to the arm 23, which is thus allowed to properly move, due to the effect of the arm oscillation 28, as previously described.

Since the arm 23 carries the milling cutter 24, the latter can properly move along paths preferably curvilinear which are properly designed in order to cause an even feeding movement for the milling cutter, according to the different orientations of the rotating template 12 and the of the sole to be finished 14.

It is important to state that if the arm 23 supporting the mill 24 would remain stopped, during the sole finishing operations, the mill 24 would operate with a different speed depending on the different lengths of side surface of the sole to be finished 14.

In other words, since the template 12 and the sole 14 to be finished rotate at a constant speed and since the rotational speed of the milling cutter 24, is likewise constant the latter due to the irregular profile of the sole for women shoes, would operate on the side surfaces of the said sole to be finished, and along the numerous portions which are differently sloped on the profile of the soles with different speeds.

The special shape of the groove 27 formed in the cam 11, has been designed in order to cause proper movements of the arm 23, in order that the feed speed of the milling cutter along the profile of the sole to be finished will be as constant as possible.

It is pointed out that during the finishing operation the semi-finished soles are rotated at least through 360.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for finishing the peripheral surfaces of in combination, a template member having an end face and a peripheral surface substantially parallel to the peripheral surface of a shoe sole to be finished, said template member being turnable about an axis; clamping means for clamping a shoe sole to be finished onto said end face of said tern-plate; a milling cutter rotatable about its axis; spacing means for maintaining said axis of said milling cutter a predetermined distance from the peripheral surface of said template; and moving means cooperating with said milling cutter for moving the same relative to said template member during rotation of the latter and said milling cutter about their respective axes to maintain the speeds of said milling cutter and said peripheral surface of said rotating template member relative to each other and therewith also to the peripheral surface of a shoe sole to be finished substantially constant.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said clamping means comprise a plate member having an end face substantially parallel to and spaced from said end face of said template member, said plate member being turnable about an axis coinciding with the axis of the template member, one of said members being movable in axial direction for clamping a shoe sole introduced between said end faces between the latter.

3. A machine as defined in claim 2, and including punch means mounted on the end face of one of said members for marking the size of the shoe sole on a face of the latter.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1, and including centering means cooperating with said template member and a shoe sole placed on the end face thereof for shifting a shoe sole placed on said end face of said template member in such a manner that the peripheral surface of said sole will be equidistant from that of said template member.

5. A machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said centering means include a plurality of rollers. arranged about said template member and adapted to engage the peripheral surface of a shoe sole placed on said end face of said template member, arm means carrying on the free ends thereof said rollers, and means connected to the other ends of said arm means for simultaneously moving the latter toward the peripheral surface of said template member.

6. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said spacing means include a roller having an axis parallel to the axis of said milling cutter and being supported together with the latter on arm means pivotable about a pivot axis, and means connected to said arm means for moving said roller into contact with said peripheral surface of said template member, to maintain said contact during the finishing operation, and for moving the roller out of contact with said peripheral surface of said template member after the latter has turned about its axis through an angle of at least 360.

7. A machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said means for moving said arm means include fluid operated cylinder and piston means connected to said arm means.

8. A machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said arm means include means for changing the position of the axis of said roller relative to the axis of said milling cutter along a line passing through the axis of said template member so that the sarne template member and milling cutter may be used for finishing soles of different size.

9. A machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said moving means include a cam coaxially arranged with said member for rotation therewith and having a cam surface, a cam follower maintained in contact with said cam surface, an arm carrying said cam follower, and linkage means connecting said arm with said arm means.

shoe soles comprising,

10. A machine as defined in claim 9, and includingv motor means carried by said arm means and transmission 5 means for transmitting a drive from said motor means to said milling cutter.

11. A machine as defined in claim 2, and including feeding means for intermittently feeding shoe soles to be finished between said members.

12. A machine as defined in claim 11, wherein said feeding means include a storage container in which soles to be finished are stacked one above the other, and pusher means including a blade arranged to engage the lowermost sole of said stack in said storage container and means connected to said blade for reciprocating the same in a manner to push the engaged sole from said storage container into the space between said members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bertrand 12-86.65 Stacey 1286.7 Small 12-146 Sweeney 12--86.7 Fladeland et a1. 12-146 Ralphs 12-8665 Kunze et a1. 1286.7 Ralphs 12-1 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR FINISHING THE PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF SHOE SOLES COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TEMPLATE MEMBER HAVING AN END FACE AND A PERIPHERAL SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF A SHOE SOLE TO BE FINISHED, SAID TEMPLATE MEMBER BEING TURNABLE ABOUT AN AXIS; CLAMPING MEANS FOR CLAMPING A SHOE SOLE TO BE FINISHED ONTO SAID END FACE OF SAID TEMPLATE; A MILLING CUTTER ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS AXIS; SPACING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID AXIS OF SAID MILLING CUTTER A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID TEMPLATE; AND MOVING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID MILLING CUTTER FOR MOVING THE SAME RELATIVE TO SAID TEMPLATE MEMBER DURING ROTATION OF THE LATTER TO SAID MILLING CUTTER ABOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE AXES TO MAINTAIN THE SPEEDS OF SAID MILLING CUTTER AND SAID PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID ROTATING TEMPLATE MEMBER RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND THEREWITH ALSO TO THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF A SHOE SOLE TO BE FINISHED SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT. 